


Fortune's Fool

by Collectible



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Angel Eichi, Crossdressing, Falling In Love, First Crush, Love at First Sight, M/M, One-Sided Attraction, Romeo and Juliet References
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-21
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-11-01 16:53:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17871083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Collectible/pseuds/Collectible
Summary: 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘶𝘤𝘬, 𝘌𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘪 𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.𝘏𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦.





	Fortune's Fool

**Author's Note:**

> hello!! 💖 I've had this on my drive for months and it was only today that I decided to finish it up as belated presents to my good boys.
> 
> I couldn't scout for Eichi on his bday because of ranking in Diner Live, and I can't scout for Wataru on his bday because of ranking in Wonderland, so this.... is all I can do to Love Them.
> 
> Also this is completely based off the romijuli Wataru/angel Eichi image, aka the only thing in 2018 that gave us eiwataP rights. 
> 
> Please enjoy✨

The first time was an accident.  
  
Eichi rarely found himself in the human world. He didn't find it distasteful to wander around the lesser beings, as Tori did, but simply believed there was so much to _do_. Every nook and cranny of the human world held interesting experiences. He always had little opportunity to finish examining one peculiar human activity before something sucked him into a brand new fascination.  
  
Humans were charming creatures. They evolved every second, becoming captivating the more Eichi recalled their alarming growth into the awful, awe-inspiring species they were today. They lived as hunter-gatherers, then in villages; advancing until they were now in charge of clusters termed ‘cities.’  
  
The city he landed in had a name. Not one he recognized or knew, but humans were particular about what they called what. All Eichi knew was the cramped area he arrived in contained more humans than expected. They shoved him to and fro. His ‘human form’—an odd thing to call it as he just wished his wings away—bumped into other humans, young and old. Out of his angelic garb, a swift glance of the beings surrounding him shifted a similar outfit onto his body. Being an otherworldly being was quite handy at times.  
  
Eichi followed the busy tide, curious of his surroundings. They guided him into an area with an open gate. Further ahead was a building shaped like an H, it and the structures around the crowd settled on the cliff side near a sparkling sea.

Packed like sardines, Eichi followed until his newly-formed lungs squeezed in his chest. As if his recreation of humans' inner workings was haphazard rather than cautious and detailed.  
  
Eichi stumbled out of the stream as his vision blurred, attempting to regain the oxygen keeping true humans alive.  
  
“... Excuse me?” he rasped to a bored-looking young human reclining against the wall. Soon afterward, the blood ceased thumping in his ears. He'd left the crowd as they branched into an unknown building. To the side was a set of closed double doors several humans strolled in and out of quietly. Clearing his throat, he sought to speak over the crowd’s incessant chatter. “What is this place?”  
  
“Huh? Like, the school? Yumenosaki Academy?” the human answered, confused. He doubled back, shaking his head. “I mean, the auditorium...? Are you here for the play?”  
  
A play. He recalled that word: stories acted out by humans, all for the sake of entertainment. Comedies, tragedies. Whatever genre one desired.

 _How exciting_ , Eichi thought. Thanking the human, he opened the door--ignoring the demand for a ticket--and enveloped his form in the ever-helpful Mist. Entering into the darkness of the room, he vanished from sight.  
  
The interior was gigantic. Although Eichi had exited out of a mass of moving humans, he had never seen so many in one setting before. The humans sat in rows throughout the room, even along the walls. And they were quiet--silent as the grave, their watchful eyes focused on one spot at the front of the room. Further ahead, the actors continued with their practiced lines, their voices clear.  
  
In the seating row right beside him, a child hiccuped. Its cries rose gradually, yet it was clear it wouldn’t stop anytime soon. The parent shushed it all for nothing. When its cries grew too much, at the risk of embarrassment she offered her apologies before slipping out of the room with her belongings in tow.  
  
Thankful of his luck, Eichi slid into the unoccupied seat and turned to watch the actors come into view.  
  
He was never quite the same.  
  
☆  
  
The second time was… not an accident. But not exactly on purpose, either.  
  
It was the day after his first outing. As odd as it was to enter the human world in quick succession, Eichi believed it would help to pass the time. As well as get his mind straight.  
  
Earlier, dear Tori had resorted to whining and wrapping Eichi in his arms to regain his wandering concentration. Nothing out of the ordinary, and he enjoyed the affection of his young student. Regardless, Tori deserved a mentor not distracted by foolish... things. So Eichi needed to fix his mindset, returning to the scene of the incident to get a better handle on his thoughts.  
  
The play he’d seen yesterday, he’d arrived at the end of it. Several minutes before the curtains closed and the actors bowed to the exuberant applause and cheers of the audience. He had been too stunned to listen to the actors’ names, replaying the conclusion of the story in his thoughts.  
  
No, not just the ending. The actors, too.  
  
_Romeo and Juliet Reversi_ was the play’s title. Aside from the titular characters existed two other actors, the talkative chorus. Amateurish in nature yet precious in their passion to bring the leads together. Not that their plan succeeded by the play’s end. Romeo nor Juliet found their love in one another as death met Romeo faster than their feelings could evolve. An unfortunate end to a young human in love, leaving the play to end on a curious note. Before the curtains fell, the chorus reversed the clock to carry on toward the story’s true ending, set for the next day.

Romeo’s actor did well enough. What he lacked for in talent he made up for in his determination to see the story through. Romeo’s plea to Juliet to return her affection left watchers wiping tears from their eyes. Yes, Romeo was a sympathetic character, albeit stubborn and childish. And her love, Juliet…  
  
_Her_ actor...  
  
Ah, the double doors to the concert hall was right in front of him. Eichi hadn’t expected to return to it so soon. A different child stood at the entrance, resting in a chair and scanning the hallway. As the Mist covered Eichi’s form, the boy’s gaze wandered over him and saw nothing but air.  
  
Paying him no mind, Eichi entered the hall and ignored the startled yelp of alarm.  
  
The low, familiar chatter of the actors onstage entered his ears. He examined their faces; the two chorus boys, energetic and plain in their expressions. Romeo, her black hair short, was in a lively conversation with her romantic interest, the equally spirited Juliet.  
  
Juliet’s eyes sparkled, her actor having every bit of fun playing the role. Eichi was too late to hear what the young Romeo had said to cause Juliet’s gaze to shine like the rising sun. He was also too late to obtain a seat, the entire hall filled to the brim. He did not have a distressed child to assist him this time.  
  
The Mist draped around him like a thick fog. Eichi descended the aisle to come closer to the stage.  
  
This time, the story took on a different route. A second tragic ending. The two young lovers found interest in one another, to the disgust of all within their opposing families. The Capulets hid the tearful Juliet until she was to meet her fiance, a man she held no love for. As for Romeo, heartbroken from the news about her love’s arranged marriage, she chose to end her own life. Living was not worth it without the one she loved at her side.  
  
Dreadfully immature while still beautiful in its expression.  
  
The play ended as the chorus commented over Romeo’s corpse. Again they leaped into the past, desiring to find the one ending giving Romeo and Juliet their best outcome.  
  
The curtain closed. Before long the actors returned to the stage, bowing to the audience and accepting their cheers.

Eichi returned to his mind in time to hear the name of the actor who stole the show. Juliet’s actor differed from his character; his voice much deeper, more extravagant. A lively voice fit for telling stories. In a beautiful scarlet dress and fine white hair braided elegantly down his waist, every word he uttered sounded enchanting. A magic spell with Eichi as the unknowing recipient.  
  
Hibiki Wataru was his name.  
  
_Hibiki Wataru_ , huh… For some reason, the name fit.  
  
☆  
  
The fifth time, Tori blocked his path. His adorable pouting face was almost able to keep Eichi from sliding past his fluttering wings in his rush to Yumenosaki Academy.  
  
The last two endings solidified how _Romeo and Juliet Reversi_ worked. Every evening, the play started. Each time they would reach a different conclusion. Each route would end in the lovers expressing unhappiness in their lot in life, and the nosy chorus would reverse time to lead them to a better fate.  
  
Eichi was eager to return to the human world to see how the beautiful Juliet’s life concluded. Would she find happiness in the end? Or would she marry another, or run away, or die from her own hand?  
  
The combination of a compelling story and an alluring actor was too addicting.  
  
“--tor!” Eichi blinked. Tori puffed out his cheeks, his face a precious pink as his features flushed. “Mentor! You aren’t listening to me. You promised you’d help me today…”  
  
He'd promised? He scrolled through his memory to find something similar to Tori's statement. Indeed, Eichi _had_ told him he would put several hours aside to assist dear Tori in obtaining better control over his wings.  
  
Today of all days, though…  
  
“Mentor…!” Tori’s pout deepened. Awkward, he shot forward to wrap his short arms around Eichi’s waist. He buried his face in Eichi's chest and whimpered. “I want to spend more time with you… You’ve been so strange recently! Are you ill? Take better care of your body!”  
  
“Ah, Tori… I’m fine. Much has been on my mind lately, is all. I’m not ill. See?” To emphasize his health, Eichi straightened and raised his wings up behind him. They stretched out several feet, sporting an impressive wingspan Tori always expressed awe toward.  
  
_A beautiful, magnificent angel_ , he’d praised the first time they met. Moments before he desperately requested for Eichi to take him under his wing as his student.

Right now, Tori squinted up from his burrow in Eichi’s chest to scrutinize his pure white feathers. They were well taken care of; no unclean or black feathers in sight, and no inopportune wincing as he moved to lead Tori to believe he was lying. “Mmm… Okay, you aren’t sick, Mentor. But you have been weird lately! You blank out whenever someone talks to you. If you have something on your mind, you can talk to me! I can keep secrets!”  
  
“Of course you can.” Running his hands through Tori’s soft pink hair as he returned the embrace, Eichi hummed in his throat. “How kind of you to express your worry, cute Tori. You are right. The truth is, I am rather distracted by something. I find it difficult to not think about it every so often, so I must seem strange to you and everyone else, hmm?”  
  
“Sometimes you stop in the middle of talking,” Tori murmured into his chest. “Or you start focusing on something else. You always have a happy look on your face so it’d be rude to snap you out of it, but... What grabbed Mentor’s attention so intently? It’s nothing bad, is it?”  
  
His mouth lifted at the corners. “No, no. Nothing dangerous. Humans cannot harm us in such ways.”  
  
“Humans? So that’s where you’ve been disappearing to recently... Have the humans done anything interesting? They’re always so clustered together like roaches, and they die so fast. It’s so hard to see them do anything worthwhile!”  
  
“Tori.”  
  
“... Sorry.”  
  
“Regardless,” he moved the conversation on, “one human has interested me for the moment. I am curious about what he does. So, Tori, do not worry about me, okay? I am wondering about what the future has in store.”  
  
“So Mentor has plans today, since you were headed somewhere before I stopped you.” Sighing into his chest, Tori’s grip tightened for a split second before he released. “I won’t stop you if it makes you happy. B-but don’t trust the humans so easily! Some of them are really, really bad! We have rules against interacting with them for a reason, so... Don’t get hurt, okay?”  
  
A giggle escaped him, the short series of laughter nestled into his palm as he hid his mouth. “Yes, Tori. Your mentor will be safe in the human world, I promise. And for you being oh-so worried for me, why don’t I return with a gift for you?”  
  
His eyes brightened, green as emeralds. The excitement in them reminded him of another, their own a glorious pair of amethyst. “Are you sure, Mentor? You’ll give me a gift?”  
  
He nodded. “Mentor’s promise. Now, hurry home, Tori. I will return before the day’s end. I apologize for holding off on teaching you today… Another time, okay?”

“Mm! Okay, Mentor!”  
  
The gift must have done it. Tori’s joy was evident as he waved goodbye and darted off in a bee-line, his small wings unfit to carry his full weight. Eichi waved as he left, until Tori was well out of sight and the only thing around him were the scattered clouds.  
  
Later, Romeo and Juliet ran from the Capulets and Montagues, finding everlasting love in a small village miles from their home. The chorus cheered, believing the fifth ending as the best so far. Sadly, it was not the one scheduled for them. Again they restarted the story for the next evening, and the play ended.  
  
Settled into the middle row, Eichi clapped along with the audience with an strange feeling in his makeshift stomach. For the first time, he disliked the route the young lovers had taken. Their happy ending arrived after a series of tragedies, yet the two wishing for their success acknowledged their peace was not true. Eichi wondered whether a happy ending was in their destiny if death and sadness awaited them.  
  
Eichi left the theater with such thoughts in mind.  
  
For Tori’s present, he found a tiny bear fitting in the palm of his hand. An adorable plush toy to match his cute face, dressed in blue suspenders and a large red bow tie.  
  
He’d love it.  
  
☆  
  
The eighth time, he visited the play earlier than before and found a seat several rows from the front.  
  
Something changed. The cast cleared the stage, and the audience left their seats before the story finished.  
  
“Intermission time,” someone in the audience whispered. Eichi tilted his head.  
  
Intermission time? So… they were on break?  
  
Eichi rose from his seat and slid into the line of humans heading to the lobby. The Mist slid over him, fading him out of sight. Then he stepped to the side, turned around, and strode right toward the empty stage.  
  
He’d never seen how the actors were off stage, after all.

The stairs behind the curtains led to a lower floor. Down the stairs was a larger, wider room, holding various equipment Eichi did not recognize. The actors stood around within the room--the extra actors, with little to no relevance to the play. He eyed them as he moved on, striding further in as he searched for the ones he held more interest toward.  
  
The further Eichi went, the less extra actors and background crew appeared. It was easy to make out a particular sort of grumbling.  
  
“I’m barely getting any sleep from this stress! Jeez, you pervert, couldn’t you have worked on a shorter play?”  
  
“Oho? And drain the magic out of a ten-day performance?” He perked up at the new voice. Hibiki…! “I shall never ruin the audience’s hopes and dreams, Tomoya-kun!”  
  
“Hopes and dreams… Yeah, right…”  
  
“Ehehe, I like it! Romeo-neesan and Juliet-neesan are doing their best to find love, so I wanna cheer ‘em on!”  
  
“Of course _you_ do, Mitsuru. N-Not that I’m insulting him, Hokuto-senpai! Mitsuru’s passion is awe-inspiring!”  
  
“Awe…? Hehehe, is that like ‘awesome’? Thank you, Tomo-chan! You’re awe-inspiring too!”  
  
Mashiro Tomoya was the light-haired boy spearheading the pursuit to find Romeo and Juliet’s real ending. He sat on a lumpy couch, clutching at the scroll he carried throughout the stories. The parchment crinkled under his fingers and seemed close to tearing.  
  
The other three spread throughout a break room. The energetic boy, Tenma Mitsuru, sat on the floor, tapping the heels of his shoes against the ground. Romeo—Hidaka Hokuto—combed through his long-haired wig beside Mashiro, eyes narrowed as he spotted tangles.  
  
Leaning against the wall behind the couch, Juliet... no, Hibiki Wataru remade his stylish braid, recreating it as perfectly as the last. His hair as white as moonlight cascaded along his back like water.  
  
Eichi’s fingers twitched. Was Hibiki’s hair silky? Did it feel as light as Eichi’s feathers?  
  
“Tomoya?” Hidaka glanced right in Eichi’s direction. “Sorry, but could you close the door? It’s cold outside.”  
  
Tomoya shot up like an excited grasshopper. “Y-yes, Hokuto-senpai!”

Even if he was invisible, angels still held their tangibility under the effect of the Mist. If Tomoya touched him, he’d feel real skin where it should not exist.  
  
Tomoya shut the door.  
  
Careful not to bump into anything and startle the resting actors, Eichi glided over to Hibiki, finding space along the wall a few inches to the side.  
  
He straightened along the wall. Side-by-side, he and Hibiki stood at the same height. Odd. He expected Hibiki to be taller.  
  
The four of them passed the intermission in quiet, interspersed with Tenma’s random tuneless humming, the crackle of parchment as Mashiro read over the scroll, and the slid of the comb’s teeth through Hidaka’s wig.  
  
Hibiki watched them. Arms crossed over his chest, his grin seemed softer around the edges. A different smile than the ones he wore onstage. He looked kinder as he watched over the boys. A guardian angel overlooking his fellow actors.  
  
It was a silly, unbelievable image, yet one Eichi found fitting for the beautiful human. If he were an angel, would Hibiki’s wingspan rival his own? How soft would his feathers be, and would he allow Eichi to run his fingers through them?  
  
Shifting on his feet, Eichi angled his body away from his person of interest. His fingers rubbed at his cheeks, a strange heat rising to the surface. A breathy huff escaped his lips. What was he doing, considering Hibiki’s imagined wings? Hibiki was a human, not an angel. Aside from the obvious difference in species, wings were an angel’s most valued possession, too. Even Tori had never touched his without explicit permission.  
  
For him to get flustered at feeling the softness of another’s valued wings, and a stranger’s at that…  
  
He may have made a mistake in allowing this distraction to continue.  
  
Short, energetic beeping resounded in the break room. Eichi jolted, pulling from the wall to locate the unnatural noise.  
  
“Ah… break’s over!” Palms against the ground, Tenma leaped to his feet and grinned at Mashiro. “We’re halfway through! I wonder if Romeo-neesan and Juliet-neesan will get their happy ending today!”

Taking in a deep inhale, Mashiro scanned the last of the sheet and rolled it up again. “You wonder…? We’re ad libbing some of the script, not all of it, Mitsuru! Tell me you know what’s coming up next, at least?”  
  
“Mmm… Oh! Romeo-neesan expresses her love to Juliet-neesan again, right? At the balcony!”  
  
“... Good guess.”  
  
Hidaka dropped the long length of his wig, stood, and straightened out his blue dress. “Soon after the scene, Romeo will cut her hair and dress more masculine. Masked Per—… Hibiki-senpai, could you get the outfit for me?”  
  
Closer to Hibiki than ever before, his exaggerated loud voice sounded like an air horn. “Indeed, Hokuto-kun! I will get it~”  
  
The princely outfit in question rested right near him, laid onto an unopened box. Hibiki lifted it into his arms and broke away from the wall. He moved easy in his scarlet gown, fluid as though walking through water.  
  
Hibiki wandered past him without notice. A thick, heady scent entered Eichi’s nose. He smelled like roses.  
  
“—Ah.”  
  
The gasp slipped out. He couldn’t help it.  
  
Hibiki paused no more than a foot past him. His head drifted to the side, those gorgeous eyes locking onto where he stood, covered in the Mist.  
  
Eichi shivered. His heart, as ill as his lungs despite careful recreation, thumped in his ears. Eichi’s breathing caught in his throat, like he was in sight of a predator and the lack of movement would force them to lose focus.  
  
Underneath the shock, something unfurled in his chest, blooming like a flower under the sun’s rays. For the first time, Hibiki’s full attention was on him. Not his partner actor, not on his lines, not on the audience. Him and nothing else.  
  
It was invigorating to be the center of his concentration. How had he never experienced something like this before?  
  
After a blink, Hibiki returned to the task at hand: handing the outfit off to Hidaka. He received a thanks in return. Afterward was an utter blur as the four exited the room to begin the second half of their play.

For a moment, Hibiki stood at the threshold. The others continued onward, their chatter disappearing as they moved further away. Quiet, Hibiki’s gaze slid over the interior of the room--searching for what, Eichi had no idea. Nothing came from it in the end. Tilting his head to the side, Hibiki hit the lights and shut the door, leaving him alone.  
  
Once he left, Eichi’s legs could no longer hold him. He sunk to the floor, the heat on his face worse than before, a roaring flame. He’d never felt this strange shivery feeling in his stomach, so he must be ill, right? Tori had assumed he was sick as well. He’d played it off as being distracted, but something else was at work behind the scenes. Why else would he react like this? Toward a human?  
  
He stayed there until the trembling sensation and blush faded. He was but a perplexed angel collapsed on the ground.  
  
How could he bring up something so embarrassing to anyone?  
  
The night’s ending to _Romeo and Juliet Reversi_ was impossible for Eichi to know. He stayed in the break room, in his own whirlwind thoughts, until thunderous applause made its way backstage. He’d missed the conclusion of the play. Startled, he hurried to his feet and out of the room, locating the best path to the outside. If he waited any longer, Hibiki and his friends were liable to return. Then he’d be in the same predicament as before. Or worse.  
  
Eichi had to get this under control.  
  
☆  
  
After learning of intermissions, Eichi arrived before the ninth incarnation of _Romeo and Juliet Reversi_ was underway.  
  
Used to landing in the human world when the sky was darkening and there was little time for him to wander, Eichi found the afternoon lackluster. During his first foray, the bored worker manning the doors called the place ‘Yumenosaki Academy.' As he examined the area, he learned Yumenosaki was a learning institution for younger humans. It was quite easy to traverse the campus in the Mist, cutting out questions about his reasons for entering when he wasn’t a student of the school.  
  
If anything, there was nothing to traverse. The school campus wasn’t as crowded during the evening. The corridors were generally bare of students. What few Eichi noticed herded themselves to a room where children sat at desks. Or they were bumming around odd places. He was pretty sure one student was floating in the fountain on his way inside. If that didn’t scream _odd_ , he didn’t know what else did.

A shrill bell rang as he wandered the halls. It signaled a change for the humans. A few moments after it ended, the teenagers escaped their confined space as though they’d left a cage. They coalesced throughout the halls, finding small groups to chat with or meandering about.  
  
They were all young men, Eichi noticed. How lucky.  
  
The Mist dissolved as his outfit shifted to mimic their uniform: a blue blazer and dark pants. He fit right in.  
  
He almost felt like one of them. Nothing about his features caught their attention, allowing him swift passage through the halls. He could stay hidden within the Mist… but it was funnier this way. An angel hidden among humans, who could imagine?  
  
Not any of these children, that was for sure.  
  
Eichi crossed a bridge connecting two buildings to each other. It was quieter on this end. He wondered how the humans found this place interesting. What sort of stuff did they learn, and why?  
  
What did Hibiki learn from here? Did he find it a compelling activity, too?  
  
Although he’d knew little about the human, Eichi thought Hibiki didn’t enjoy sitting in one spot. He was more of a mover, someone who found staying still as boring as watching paint dry.  
  
Hibiki must have better things to do.  
  
Glancing out of the windows lining the walls to his left, his heart nearly pounded right out of his chest in surprise.  
  
H… Hibiki…!  
  
A rough cough escaped his throat. Turning his back to the window, Eichi buried his mouth in the cup of his elbow. As always, his human form had a few irritating hiccups. Bad lungs, bad heart; if he were a true human, God would only know how long he had to live.  
  
When the coughing incident ended, he nervously returned to seeing _him_.   
  
Hibiki sat in the courtyard alone. Well, not _alone_ alone. Several birds swooped through the air, landing on his outstretched arms and legs. Hibiki seemed quite fond of them, passing along little treats and saying words Eichi couldn’t make out through the glass of the third floor window.

The sunlight made his hair look like liquid silver. Some birds nestled in the hair puddled around him like it was their very own fountain to play in. Hibiki expressed little care; instead, he smiled, rubbing their chins upon catching their actions.  
  
There was another complication with his body. Pressing his palm to his chest, Eichi wished the burning sensation ceased. It was a sad fact that even angels couldn’t regulate their bodies at all times. A fact that was occurring more often whenever he entered the human world. Was it a sign? To keep his distance, to continue living high up in the clouds without these distractions?  
  
When he slid his gaze up, frowning, he met with inquisitive amethysts.  
  
Eichi startled, jumping in place due to his shock. He'd believed his heart had finished its uncalled-for palpitations, but a moment later it picked up again. If it pounded any harder, he feared it would burst through his flimsy rib cage.  
  
From the ground floor, Hibiki peered up at him. His birds flitted about in attempts to regain his redirected attention. Eichi almost felt sorry for them, but the curious stare was about to put him out of his own misery.  
  
Then, out of nowhere, Hibiki offered him a smile and waved. They were small, unassuming actions. Something someone offered a friend.  
  
Slowly, Eichi returned the wave.  
  
Hibiki laughed, unheard through the glass. After passing him a tiny nod, he returned to his pets, calming their annoyance with extra treats pulled from his sleeves.  
  
The window was cold as he pressed his palms against them. He hoped Hibiki turned around again. Gave him a little more of his time. A smile and wave was so little in the grand scheme of things, even when they felt as momentous as soaring high above the clouds until everything was a span of endless white and bliss.  
  
The gap between them was too massive. It wasn’t a distance he could travel by himself.  
  
Eichi wished they could have spoken.  
  
The ninth showing of Romeo and Juliet commenced later on. Eichi successfully nabbed a seat in the second row. He watched the play from the beginning, witnessing Romeo and Juliet’s fateful meeting at the party. Their love at first sight. Funny. Love at first sight always rubbed him as an unappealing fantasy, a concept children wasted time on before they grew up, grew smarter.

Look at him now.  
  
It was another happy ending; the third of the entire series. The patriarchs of the ruling houses dead, Romeo and Juliet eloped to a peaceful life near the sea.  
  
Clapping along as the curtain fell, Eichi considered the past week. One night left.  
  
The denouement was inevitable.  
  
☆  
  
The tenth time…  
  
The tenth time, Keito refused to let him pass.  
  
“Eichi,” he started in _that_  tone he used when he was ready to start a lecture. Eichi nearly sighed. Always at the worst times… “Don’t make that face at me, you bastard. You knew full well this was coming.”  
  
_Romeo and Juliet Reversi_  was several minutes from beginning. Hibiki’s final performance as the entrancing Juliet would take its last bow. He needed to be there to see him off, no matter what.  
  
“Knew what, exactly? You should explain more—“ He raises a hand to stop the response— “at another time, Keito. I must admit I am rather busy today. Let’s postpone this to... tomorrow, let’s say. Enough time for both of us.”  
  
“Not tomorrow. Now. You’ve been slacking for days and we’ve all noticed.”  
  
“‘All’? Not ‘you’?”  
  
“Don’t play this game with me.” He scowled, jaw clenched. Hah. Eichi would be equally disgusted and flattered about the concerns from his childhood friend if he didn’t have _things to do_. “You’re paying less attention to others than you already do. Your student, Tori, has mentioned your lack of interest in your typical hobbies as well a few days ago. Instead, all you seem to care about is wherever it is you’re going in the human world—yes, I know you’ve been going there. You aren’t as subtle as you think.”  
  
His wings fluttered behind him. “How kind of you to express your concerns over my well-being. Also, I've spoken to dear Tori already. He knows I am quite alright. In any case, these suspicions can wait. You can handle a few hours without me, can’t you?”  
  
“Why aren’t you listening?” Keito’s feathers ruffled in anger. “Can’t you hear? You aren’t going to the human world today. If it’s so important, go tomorrow—you’re going to explain your strangeness today. Anything else can wait.”

His eyes were strict and determined. Frown etched onto his face, he resembled the strict guardian angel, protecting its charge without any regard to why. He was radically different from how Eichi believed Hibiki would act.  
  
Hibiki…  
  
A stiff hand wrapped around his wrist in a tight grip. Eichi broke from his thoughts, finding a fuming Keito way too close for comfort.  
  
“You got distracted again,” he hissed. “What has gotten into you?! If you aren’t going to tell me, then you can tell your precious student. See if you can keep lying.”  
  
Eichi tugged his arm in a attempt to release the grip. No good; for all of Keito’s faults, he was the strongest of the two. He kept his voice stable, practicing calmness even as he continued struggling. “What does it matter if I’m distracted? Today will be the last day. It won’t happen again.”  
  
Keito snorted. “As if I can believe you. Ten days have already formed a pattern. You won’t be going anywhere until we get this figured out.”  
  
Unbidden, his wings pulled up and stretched out as an act of aggression, covering the both of them in its wide shadow. His nails sharpened into claws Eichi tried to keep from digging into skin.  
  
“There’s nothing to figure out. You simply refuse to believe me.”  
  
“You haven’t given me a reason to!” Keito snapped. “If you have one, tell me! Don’t keep these things to yourself!”  
  
“It’s _nothing_. I'm…” Eichi faltered. Tori knowing was one thing. Letting loose about a human charming him to someone so rule-abiding as Keito was an issue waiting to happen... moreso than it currently was.  
  
Keito _did_ wait for answer. When all he did was stay silent, fighting to free himself, Keito sighed in disappointment. “We’re going home, Eichi. If there’s a problem, I can help you through it. _We_ can help you through it—Tori has missed you. And by tomorrow, we can put this behind us. Okay?”  
  
As Keito dragged him back home, Eichi resisting every step of the way, he wondered, suddenly—  
  
Would Romeo and Juliet have their happy ending?

☆

Counting days didn’t matter now.  
  
The play was over. Yesterday seemed like a nightmare.  
  
In the human world, Eichi mindlessly wandered to the hall where the actors performed the play. Evening had fallen; the lack of humans around meant he did not need the Mist. Dressed in the same uniform as two days ago, he pushed open the auditorium doors and entered.  
  
The lights were on, illuminating the hall. It was odd, bordering on creepy, to enter the gigantic arena and not see the crowd sitting in their seats. Their eyes directed to the stage as if it were the only thing to matter. The bare stage in itself was like salt on his wounds. All his time spent understanding the workings of the play, anticipating its conclusion, led to nothing. No pay off whatsoever.  
  
At least Keito’s guilty expression served as a salve when he finally broke and explained his actions. As expected, Keito still berated him for being entranced by a human. Tori had taken his side though, proclaiming his mentor was smart enough to handle his own issues. At their disapproving looks, the bespectacled angel could only sigh, knowing he’d lost. He agreed to keep the secret--as long as Eichi agreed to cut it with the daily visits to the human world.  
  
A very nice solution coming a day too late.  
  
The front row of seats gave a different experience to viewing what was onstage. Eichi had planned to come early and snatch one of them before the tenth play started. If it was the final showing, he wanted—needed—to see Hibiki at his best.  
  
Now it was a regular chair. A little stiff, too.  
  
For a moment, Eichi considered the stage. Then, his legs moving without much thought, he strode over to it and lifted up.  
  
How did Hibiki feel standing center stage? During the actor talks after the play finished, they often spoke a tad about themselves. Hibiki mentioned his work in theater, how he went through countless stories and mastered the characters. Hibiki was a theater prodigy—that was clear from a single viewing. No wonder his Juliet was so stunning.  
  
His footsteps echoed hollowly throughout the empty arena as he examined the stage. As a place where the humans acted for the entertainment of many, the stage was rather bare. The castle walls acting as a backdrop was gone. They must have taken the props last night as well.

Eichi inspected the stage for quite a while, lost to his thoughts. He’d have to create his own ending for _Romeo and Juliet Reversi_. So far, nothing he imagined felt true to the characters. Tragic endings were the norm and happy endings felt cheap. Romeo and Juliet could live their lives happily away from their disapproving communities... or they could suffer in silence, married to those they despised or killed by their own hand. The possibilities were endless.  
  
As deep in his imaginations as he was, the soft footsteps coming closer did not reach his ears until a voice spoke up.  
  
“Oya~? If it isn’t my number one fan!”  
  
Eichi's concentration broke into millions of pieces. Head snapping to the side, he spotted a new arrival coming up the stairs leading backstage--but he didn’t need to see them to realize who they were.  
  
“Hibiki… -kun.”  
  
Hibiki stood several feet to the right, wearing the same school uniform as he had two days ago. Smiling, he peered at him again, a mimicry of their first encounter.  
  
Then, Eichi caught his words. “‘Fan’? Why would you say that?”  
  
“Would the term not fit?” Placing his hand on his chin, Hibiki tilted his head curiously. “I can’t say I’ve noticed you in the beginning, what with such a large audience... But your intense stare is quite heavy on the body, and every time I sought it out it led to you. Usually in a seat closer to the stage than the day before. Besides, someone who comes to each play for ten consecutive days is a fan, yes? Unless…” He pointed a finger upward. “Oh my, are you a fan of one of my club members? Hokuto-kun did well as Romeo, so--”  
  
“I’m not,” Eichi disagreed. Romeo and the chorus were fine, but they weren’t... they weren’t _Hibiki_ , showcasing such elegance and grace. They could not match his beauty.  
  
The smile brightened. “So you are my fan! I must say, you’re rather late, you know? The finale was yesterday.”  
  
“Ah, indeed.” Eichi crossed his arms. Torn between excitement at the situation or desiring to leave the premises. His heart was already picking up the pace, threatening him with its speed. _Hibiki had noticed him_. “Unfortunate circumstances. I am disappointed I’ve missed the final act.”

Hibiki laughed, the sound resonating from deep in his chest. “Your attendance during the other days is enough. Of course, it must be saddening to miss the conclusion of such a long story, yes? Hmm… say, what is your name?”  
  
“Eh?”  
  
“You wear the uniform of Yumenosaki Academy, so you must be a student. I must say I’ve never seen you before in the Idol Course. Outside of two days ago, that is. I was quite surprised! To think you were under my nose this entire time. What a slippery person.” A hearty chuckle. “I missed the chance to ask then. So, may this Hibiki Wataru have your name?”  
  
“... Eichi,” he offered. “Just Eichi.”  
  
“Well then, ‘Just Eichi’!” Wandering to where the stage ended, Hibiki sat on its smooth surface. Waving his hand eagerly, he gestured for Eichi to move closer. “As thanks for your support, I shall tell to you the finale of _Romeo and Juliet Reversi_. Fufu, few have such an honor, you know? What a lucky one you are! ☆”  
  
“That’s--”  
  
“You must have returned for a reason, knowing nothing would happen. Instead of thinking what could have been, why not tell you what has been? And, for you--” When he spoke next, his voice was softer, a perfect match for Juliet-- “I’ll even throw in voices, too. ♪”  
  
Well. There was no point in refusing, was there?  
  
Keeping the distance, Eichi sat and watched as Hibiki performed a one-man show. He hadn’t expected much, knowing the faults of humans, but when did Hibiki ever disappoint? Hibiki played the characters to a T, mimicking his voice to copy his fellow actors. Hidaka’s quiet tone, Mashiro’s nervous yet firm speech, even Tenma’s energetic personality; Hibiki captured it all in his performance.  
  
Theater prodigy did not encompass such works of art, such skill. He was a genius in every sense of the word.  
  
Soon, Hibiki reached the finale. His confidence in playing the titular characters was breathtaking. Devastated at the death of the woman she scorned and loved, his grief-stricken Juliet kissed her love and drunk liquid death. And poor Romeo, awakening from her fake slumber to see the corpse of the one she loved, found her doomed fate at the bottom of the vial as well. A tragic tale to the end. Two star-crossed lovers able to connect only in the cold embrace of death.  
  
“Why this ending?” Eichi asked once Hibiki ended his stellar performance.  
  
“Why the classic end to a class tale?” Hibiki dropped to the stage floor, now out of character. Hearing his true voice instead of the multitude of others was jarring. “Why not? It is the most known, is it not? Aside from a few details.”

“Consider me new to classic works.” He was, in a way. Angels held no use for human literature. “Does classic always mean good?”  
  
“Did you dislike it?”  
  
Eichi fell silent, pondering the question. “... No,” he responded. “Destiny calls for tragedy for Romeo and Juliet. You’ve made it rather clear, seeing as their track record was more negative than positive. If they had a happily ever after, I may have felt cheated.”  
  
“Do we have the budding petals of a critic in our midst?” At his wondering glance, Hibiki shook his head. “Mm~ We share the same thoughts, you see. Those star-crossed lovers can only find happiness in death. Their families would never allow them to love each other, their genders aside. They were bound for unhappiness. In the finale, they’ve ended the feud between their homes and will meet together in the afterlife. Nothing will come between there. Anything else feels quite shallow.”  
  
“You’ve put thought into this.”  
  
“A lover of theater must, if he desires to take part!”  
  
A lover of theater, huh. “Hibiki-kun? How long have you--”  
  
“Ah? My, look at where the time has gone!”  
  
The bubble surrounding them popped all of a sudden. It wasn’t Eichi and Hibiki in the whole world, even when Hibiki’s attention made it seem so. They were tiny beings in a realm always moving forward--and Hibiki noticed the fact, rocking to his feet and holding a strange device in his hand.  
  
“I intended to take a few minutes to retrieve something from backstage. Yet I've spent the hour sitting here with you! I doubt either of us expected this today.” Sliding the device in his pocket, he held out his hand as though expecting Eichi to take it. “Come, come! It’s rather late. As fun as it was to chat until the sun fell, you must be tired by now.”  
  
“Tired?” Hesitantly Eichi smiled, slipping his hand into Hibiki’s. Hibiki was a warm person, inside and out. Angels couldn’t compare. “I could never tire of watching you, Hibiki-kun.”  
  
“Mm~♪! What sweet words!” Preening under his compliment, Hibiki tugged Eichi to his feet. “As repayment, ‘Just Eichi,’ please call me by my name: _Wa-ta-ru_! I cannot be the single one using first names! This eccentric is presumptuous at times, but towards new friends he isn’t.”  
  
“Hibiki-kun..." He flushed, hoping the lights did not reveal it. "Are you sure? We've just met.”  
  
“Hmm~?”

“Ah.” Eichi tried again, tongue-tied. “Thank you… Wataru.”  
  
His given name felt weird on his tongue. Wataru, Wataru.  
  
“Fufu~! See how nice it feels?” Squeezing his hand once, Wataru released him. “And with that, we’re friends. It is nice to meet you, Eichi. ☆”  
  
“Same here, Wataru.” He rose the hand to his chest, hovering it over his pounding heart. “I’m... glad I met you, too.”  
  
It took a second to notice, but something was in his hand, the one Wataru released. The tip of the item slid against his face, almost unnoticeable. Pulling it away, Eichi blinked at the red rose in his fist, as scarlet as Juliet’s gorgeous dress.  
  
When he looked up, mouth opening to ask Wataru for its meaning, Eichi found he was all alone. The stage empty, same as the rest of the arena. He'd vanished as silently as he had appeared.  
  
The rose's scent reminded him of Wataru, like the perfume Wataru wore when he’d passed him in the break room. Rubbing the soft petals with his fingers, Eichi wondered whether it was the rose or the person that smelled so enticing.  
  
Eventually, he placed the rose in the pocket of his blazer and strode to the exit. Evening had begun to pass into night, covering the sky in patches of purple. Stars glistened from high up.  
  
Wataru called him a friend. They were _friends_. The thought didn’t seem real no matter how much he remembered the time they spent together. What made Wataru call out to him? What made Wataru care?  
  
Draped in the Mist, he unleashed his wings and flapped them, lifting off the ground.  
  
It was possible Wataru was a sociable human. Friendly to a fault, even to those he knew nothing about. Charming to everyone he met. His fellow actors treated him like an oddity. Considering his successes, it was possible they saw him as different.  
  
An oddity among the humans, same as Eichi.  
  
Thumbing the rose a final time, Eichi gave one last preparing flap of his wings before taking off into the skies.

Keito requested he keep out of the human world on a daily basis. He could live with the rule; with the play finished, there was no need for him to visit every day. Even he, surprisingly, had things he wanted to do. Tori was quite clear in wanting to spend more time with his mentor, too.  
  
A daily visit was impossible, but not a weekly one. And his appearance at the school would fool the humans as well, same as it did in the past.  
  
Wataru was too interesting a human to stop meeting. Eichi wanted to see more, hear more, talk more--as his new friend, he was allowed the right, wasn’t he?  
  
One of these days, he’d be sure to learn everything he could about that captivating human being.  
  
He’d make sure of it.


End file.
